Policies and Legislation

The Alliance was engaged in the development of a memorandum on the civil society position on land and environment chapter of the Constitution of Kenya and submitted this to the committee of experts and the issues raised were included in the final document (Constitution of Kenya) which was promulgated in 2010 after going through a referendum. The chapter provides for sustainable management of Land, Environment and Natural Resources and also creates a framework for addressing some of the past challenges that communities used to experience such as land governance issues, responsibilities of the state as well as communities in natural resource management, dispute resolution/arbitration among others.

After promulgation of the constitution, the Alliance has continuosly worked with CIC, parliamentary committee on environment and natural resources and other relevant agencies on reviewing of the NR policies and laws within the land and environment chapter as part of the implementation of this constitution. Specifically, the Alliance has been involved in reviewing of policies and legislations on natural resources some of which have been enacted into laws, and the views of CSOs  invorporated while others are in different stages. Among the ones that have been enacted and are in force include:

• Environment and Land Court Act, 2011
• Land Act, 2016
• Land Registration Act (Amendment), 2020
• Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013
• The Mining Bill, 2014
• The Water Bill, 2014
• The Environmental Management and Cordination (Amendment) Act, 2014
• The Natural Resources (Benefit Sharing) Bill, 2020
• Community Land Act no. 27, 2016

In addition, the Alliance has reviewed naural resources policies including:

• National Wetland polcy which has now been adopted
• Integrated Coastal Zone Management policy – also adopted
• Environment policy
• Education for sustainable development policy, among others

As a result ofvaluable contributions provided by the alliance regarding varioius decisions regarding management of natural resources, government ministiries and departments responsible for the management of natural resources as well as other stakeholders in the NR sector.

THEMATIC AREAS OF FOCUS

NECSA-K focus during the strategic period 2012 – 2016 shall focus on the following thematic areas:

• Policy advocacy and influence to be undertaken through a combination of strategies including lobbying and advocacy of national and county policies and laws.
• Natural resource governance to be contributed through monitoring and building positions on promoting or advocating for good governance at county and national government levels in Kenya. The alliance will endeavor to promote best practices as well as identifying potential solutions to the emerging challenges in environment and natural resources management
• Environment and natural resource knowledge management including indigenous knowledge related to natural resource managenment. The alliance will create and capture knowledge that promotes the pursuit of best practices in management of environment and natural resources.
• Institutional strengthneng of NECSA-K through establishment of strong systems and structures for effective delivery of the mandates of the alliance.